Money isn’t the issue, it’s more about the game: Mani says about Indo-Pak bilateral series

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Ehsan Mani said that money is not the main objective behind the resumption of Pakistan and Indian cricketing ties.

Mani told that it is more about people, cricket fans of both the countries who love Indo-Pak games, but Indian government want to deprive its people of the action.

“Money isn’t the issue, it’s more about the game,” said Mani. “There are more viewers for a Pakistan-India match than any other match in the world. So, if the Indian government decides to deprive its own citizens of watching a Pakistan-India match then that is their choice.”

He took his point further and said that Pakistan and India matches get huge viewership, but PCB can survive without them.

The former ICC President further stated that he is unable to understand India’s hypocrisy that they play against Pakistan in ICC events, but refuse to play bilateral series.

“There is a lot of hypocrisy at the moment. India plays an ICC event against us but doesn’t play a bilateral series. That is something that we need to address,” he said.

He believes sports can be the catalyst to improve the political ties between the two neighbouring countries.

“There’s no better way to improve the relations between countries than having sporting contacts, cultural contacts. For me, that is far more important than any amount of money that comes into the game,” he said.

Mani is not much positive about the revival of bilateral ties with the arch-rivals in near future.

“Indian public obviously love to see India and Pakistan playing, and so does the Pakistan public. Rest of the work is of the politicians and frankly, once India is in the lead-up to its elections next year, so I don’t think there will be any softening in their attitude. But in the long term, the people want it and you can’t go against the will of the people forever,” he said.